Summary: Qualifications of Church Leaders

We continue our worship by listening and learning from the Word of God. Please open your Bibles to 1 Peter Chapter 5….

God spoke to the Apostle Peter and told him to write to Christians about how to live on earth until Jesus Christ returns to earth. In chapter 4 God spoke of how we are to relate to one another in the church family. Our passage today speaks to church leaders. But before you turn off your listening ear, there are many reasons for all of us to understand what God is saying here:

Yes, 1 Peter 5:1-4 is directly for church leaders but we must all listen because:

Before we look at God’s instructions, let us note what is said about Peter and about Jesus Christ, the chief Shepherd.

What can we note about Peter from v1:

- A fellow elder appealing to other elders

An elder here indicates a church leader.

- A witness of Christ’s sufferings

Even though Peter denied he knew Jesus when Christ suffered and died, Peter personally saw all of it.

- Will also share in the glory to be revealed

Peter trusted Jesus completely and was looking forward to some sort of glory in his future and was living with this in mind. Peter was looking forward to something glorious, did Peter experience any glorious in his life already (glorious as in the shekinah glory we talked about last week)?? What were some of them??

Let us summarize these truths from v1 about Peter: Peter loved Jesus Christ and lived his life ministering to God’s people while anticipating the glorious appearance of his Lord!

And in v4, Peter actually encourages Christian servants to live the same way he does anticipating Christ’s return.

And what can we say about Jesus Christ here in v4?

a. Chief Shepherd

A shepherd leads and guides. Church leaders are to lead and guide. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd; all leaders are to follow Christ! Jesus Christ is always the focus and the ultimate authority.

And we note that Jesus will appear again; in other words;

b. Jesus will return to earth soon!

And what will Jesus do for those who led for Him?

c. Jesus will reward His servants with crowns of glory that will never fade!

And what are instructions from God to elders (church leaders)?

v2: be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers.

Did you notice that God does not just say “be shepherds of God’s flock”? Why do you think God added “that is under your care, serving as overseers”??

Being a shepherd for God is not forced, not man created, but God ordained.

God is the one who is to build the church and call leaders. Note v3 the flock is entrusted, not self-gained. Remember the Tower of Babel? It didn’t take long for man to build for their own glory.